Ready for a second chance, a young mother and her two daughters move to the idyllic town of Haven Point. (Photo by Corey Templeton, Flickr)

Moving to a small town after life in a big city is a challenging change of pace for anyone, but particularly for a young mom with two daughters to think about. A prime job opportunity makes the move inevitable, however, and soon the little family finds itself in Haven Point. But will the girls be able to make a life there? And what happens when the heart starts to make choices of its own? Find out in RaeAnne Thayne’s heartwarming new novel, Season of Wonder. Read more of this post

Unless you’re fascinated by mythic folklore, Transylvania may not be high on your list of dream vacations. But with beautiful summers, loads of historic sites like Bran Castle to explore, and plenty of inexpensive flights from major European cities, it is quickly becoming a top destination for world travelers. (Photo by NH53, Flickr)

Ever since I was a boy in Mrs. Harris’s seventh grade world geography class, I have anxiously awaited each issue of National Geographic. The yellow box on the cover always seemed like a magic telescope that allowed me to peer into other places and cultures where I discovered untold wonders and met fascinating people. That’s a feeling I still get to this day, whether I’m reading the magazine or watching a Nat Geo documentary. Now National Geographic is igniting our wanderlust once again with its second edition of Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips, published on the 10th anniversary of the original edition’s initial release date.Read more of this post

Questions are powerful tools that help us decide, create, connect and lead. (Photo by airpix, Flickr)

In an uncertain world plagued with inaccurate information and a rising number of people who have forgotten how to think about issues with a critical mind, it is difficult to get to the truth. But author Warren Berger is deftly skilled at rebooting our brains, and he does so with a tool we oftentimes fail to wield: questions. In his latest volume, The Book of Beautiful Questions, we discover what to ask and why, and how the eroteme has become the most underused punctuation mark today. Read more of this post

They may have beat him in court, but now he’s back to get even in Lisa Scottoline’s Feared. (Photo by SalFalko, Flickr)

A firm of women lawyers is targeted by an enemy from their past. What starts out as an irritating lawsuit soon turns into something far more deadly, and suddenly they must save their firm, their lives, and everything they have worked so hard to obtain. But will they be able to do so in time? Find out in Lisa Scottoline’s supercharged new thriller, Feared. Read more of this post

When society is unforgiving, some secrets must be kept at all costs. (Photo courtesy K. A. Servian)

What would you do if everything you thought you knew about yourself turned out to be a lie? In the new book, A Pivotal Right, a young woman named Viola is faced with just such a dilemma when she discovers her father isn’t who she thought he was and that her mother, Florence, has kept the truth hidden for years.

This premise captured our imaginations, so we invited the author to tell us how being a mother herself impacted the way she wrote Viola’s character and what advice she would give to Florence on how to handle telling a child such a carefully guarded secret. We hope you enjoy this guest post from K.A. Servian! —Jathan & HeatherRead more of this post